Ice skate grinding machine



June 26, 1962 H. R. DE VLIEG 1c SKATE GRINDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1960 INVEN TOR. HOWARD RAWSON DE WJEG with) 5M Jkmur June 26, 1962 H. R. DE VLlEG 3,040,481

ICE SKATE GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

hOMRD RAWSCW DE I/L/EG A 7'7'ORNE V June 26, 1962 H. R. DE VLIEG ICE SKATE GRINDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept 16, 1960 Wm E bm mm INVENTOR.

hOWA/w RAWSQ'V DE l/L/EG A T TORNEV June 26, 1962 H. R. DE VLlEG 3,040,481

, ICE SKATE GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. hDI WRD RAM SON 0f VL/EG 5 M MM A TTORNE) June 1962 H. R. DE VLIEG 3,040,481

ICE SKATE GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 9a /0/ F/G/0 I IN V EN TOR. hDWARD RAWSON 0E VL/EG JMMMZM Jim A TTORNEV June 26, 1962 H. R. DE VLIEG 3,040,481

ICE SKATE GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I N V EN TOR. HOWARD RAWSON DE VL/EG hllwn 342 1101 41 J M A T TORNE) United States PatentC 3,040,481 ICESKATE GRINDING MACHINE Howard Rawson De Vlieg, Putnam Pike, Chepachet,

Glocester, RJ. Filed Sept. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 56,455 7 Claims. (Cl. 51---100) This invention relates to an ice skate grinding machine and. more particularly to a machine in which the grinding Wheel moves through a pre-selected path with a spring Counter balancingthe weight of the grinding wheel mechanism.

' One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an ice skate sharpening machine in which the ice skate is sharpened to a p're-selected templet contour.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice skate sharpening machine with a counterbalancing mechanismso that the gravitational weight of the grinding wheel mechanism does not bear against the ice skate blade being sharpened; f

And another object ofthe present invention is to provide an ice skate grinding machine with a feather touch, a contour'control and a mechanism for duplicating exactly the same shape in a pair of ice skate blades.

A furtherobject of the present invention is to provide an ice skate grinding machine which provides for a cooler grinding operation having a finer grind finish and a' sharper edge onthe ice skateblade than was heretofore possible. s t I s And still another object of the present invention is to provide an ice skate grinding machine which precision grinds an ice skate blade and which automatically centers the ice skateblade to the provide a hollow'grind.

And still a further object of the present invention is to provide an ice skate grinding machine with a pair of skate holders or a skate and a templet-holder. The skate holder automatically locating .the ice skate blade to be ground both horizontally and vertically in-relation to the grinding wheel so as to provide the correct and identical rock on both ice skate bladesof a pairof skates.

In the past the common method used to sharpen an ice skate blade wasto' manually position the edge of the blade against a rotating grinding wheel surface. This method was unsatisfactory because it depended upon the dexterity of the operator. The operator usually was unable to prevent a too long contact ofa blade edge against a grinding wheel. This condition resulted in a loss'of temper 'of the blade, a burnt spot in the blade or a notch cut into the blade The operator was unable to sharpen a blade to a former contour or to sharpen a pair of blades to the exact same contour.

US. Patent #1,487,-142, datedxMarchl8, 1924, for a Thepresent machine overcomes all of the disabilities:

cited by providing a counter balanced scissor bracket consisting ofia lower and an upper'frame. The grinding wheel and motor are attached to the upper frame, there-' by providing afeather light touch of the grinding wheel to. the blade. In addition the present machine contemplates using one'blade of aflpair of skates or a templet as the medium for guiding the grinding wheel across the other blade. In addition the upper frame is provided with grinding'wheel so as to- 3,04a4s1 Patented June 26, 1962 across the templet or ice skate blade being used as a contour guide. The grinding wheel cannot grind into the edge of an ice skate blade a distance greater. than the adjustable follower shoe will permit. Thus, the machine controls the entire grinding operation regardless of the dexterity of the operative who may be totally unskilled.

Other objects of the present invention will be pointed out in part and become apparent in part in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of-the new and improved ice skate grinding machine in operative position. FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 1. i FIGURE 3 is-a side elevational view of the machine in rest or inoperative position- The position when skates are being removed-from or being clamped into the machine.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view ofthe machine in an open position to better illustrate the structure. FIGURE 6 is a planview of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary right side elevational view of FIGURE 1. A

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective viewof the adjustable follower-shoe controlling .the grinding wheel engagement with the ice. skate blade.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, illustrating the ice skate guide pins and an inner vice aw. v r

FIGURE. 10 is a fragmentary sideelevational view showing an ice skate'clamped between vice jaws'with a guide pin engaging the ice skate.

. FIGURE 11,. is a right. hand side elevational view showing a modified form of counterweight spring.

FIGURE 12 is a rear elevational'view of, FIGURE 11 illustrating the modified form of counterweight spring.

In proceeding with this invention, a stand is provided;

Leftside 12 and right side 14 as viewed in FIGURE 1) are provided, respectively with hubs 16, 17. Left side 12 is integrally provided with a horizontal block 18. Simi larly, right side 14 is integrally provided with a horizontal block 19. V

A pair of vice jaws or a skate holding vice and a templet holding vice, generally indicated by reference characters 20, 21, respectively, are provided in association with horizontal blocks-18, 19, respectively. Skate holding vice or left hand jaw 20, as viewed in FIGURE 1 (see FIGURES 1, 2 and 9), comprises a body member 22 having a top seat 23 and a front seat 24 which engage horizontal block 18. Two screws 25, 25A fasten body member 22 to horizontal block 18. Body member 22 is provided with a rear blade gripping edge 26. A pair of dowels 27, 28 in spaced horizontal and vertical alignment 7 and a threaded member 29 are secured in body member 22. A- front jaw 30 provided with front blade gripping edge 31 is provided with two bearings 27A, 28A and a clearance orifice in alignment with threaded member 29 to permit the front jaw 30 to be slidingly mounted upon dowels 27, 28. Athumb nut 32 rotatively engages the threads on threaded member 29 to ,provide means for forcing rear and front blade gripping .edges 26, 31 into clamping relationship. Templet holding vice or right hand jaw 21, as viewed in FIGURE 1 is similarly constructed and is provided and is provided with gripping edges 33, 34, dowels 35, 36 and thumb nut 37. Dowels 28 and 35 are in horizontal and vertical alignment. Dowels 27 and 36 are in horizontal and vertical alignment. Dowels 27, 28 provide a guide means for aligning an ice skate in ice skate holding vice 2t).v Similarly dowels 35, 36 provide another guide means for aligning a templet in said templet holding vice 21. Dowels 28, 35 aligns said ice skate holding vice with said templet holding vice to provide an aligned relationship between said skate and said templet.

A scissor bracket, generally indicated by reference character 40, is provided consisting of a lower frame generally indicated at 40A and an upper frame generally indicated at 403. The lower frame 40A consists of a (as viewed in FIGURES 1 and left side 41, right side 42, top side 43, bottom 'side 44 and cross arms 45, 46. Hubs 47, 48 are integrally formed as extensions ofleft side 41. Similarly, hubs 50, 51 are formed as extensions of right side 42. A stub shaft 52 pivotally connects hub 47 to hub 16. A second stub shaft 53 pivotally connects hub 50 to hub 17. A stop 54 is integrally provided as a part of top side 43 and projects, generally vertically,

The upper frame 4013 consists of a plate 55 provided with a handle 56, a right side 57 and two arms 58, 60. Cross members 61, 62 diagonally connect arms 58, 60. A stop member 63 projecting vertically downward is integrally connected to arms58, 60. A hub 64 is formed as an extension of arm 58 and cross member 62. A hub 65 'is formed as an extension of arm 60 and cross member 61. A shaft 66 pivotally connects hubs 64, 65 to hubs 48, 51. A coil spring 67 is mounted upon shaft 66 with end 68 abutting cross arm-45 and the other end 69 abutting cross member 62. In this manner tension is applied to coil spring 67 with the tension tending to pivot lower frame 40A and upper frame 40B around shaft 66 into the position illustrated in FIGURE 5.

An electric motor 70 having a shaft 71 provided with a grinding wheel 72 is secured to plate 55 by-means of rivets 73, 74. A grinding wheel guard 75 partially encasing grinding wheel 72 is secured to the left side (as viewed in FIGURES 1, 5 and 6) of plate 55 by means of screws 76, 77.

An adjustable follower shoe, generally indicated by reference numeral 80, is provided, (see FIGURES 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8) as an important feature of the present invention because it provides a means for limiting the movement of the grinding wheel toward the skate holding vice. A circular. pad or boss 81 having an axial core 82 is integrally formed or secured to right side 57. An enlarged area 83 is secured to or it may form an integral part of boss 81. Enlarged area 83 is provided with 21 depending male guide member 84.

A follower is provided consisting of a body member 85 having an arcuate shaped face or shoe 86, a vertical track 87 and a threaded core 88. An adjusting screw 90 having a thumb piece 91 secured to one end, is rotatively located in axial core 82. Adjusting screw 90 is provided with a thread 93 which is rotatively mounted in threaded core 88. Male guide member 84 slidingly engages track 87. Member 7 visible in FIGURE 7 and 11 is a reenforcing member to stifien right side 57.

The ice skate grinding machine functions as follows: Reference is initially made to FIGURE wherein is shown, in dot and dash lines, a tubular hockey skate, generally indicated at 98, with a shoe 99 attached, consisting of the skate blade 100 having a blade edge 101, top surface 104, a front bracket 102 and a rear bracket 103. Front 102 and rear 103 brackets secure blade 101 to shoe 99.

For purposes of illustration, let it be assumed that front jaw is removed from engagement with dowels 27, 28. Tubular hockey skate 98 (see FIGURE 10) will be inverted so that edge 101 is positioned facing upward. Top surface 104 will rest upon dowels 27, 28. Front bracket 102 will abut dowel 27. In this manner blade 100 will be horizontally positioned and aligned in left hand jaw or skate holding vice 20. Front jaw 20 will be positioned upon dowels 27, 28 and threaded member 29. Thumb nut 32 will be rotated so that blade 100 will be firmly held between front and rear blade gripping edges 31, 26, respectively. Either a templet 8 (shown in dot and dash lines in FIGURE 7) or the companion tubular hockey skate (not shown) will in like manner be secured in right hand jaw or templet holding vice 21.

Handle 56 will be manually operated so that the upper frame 40A, with motor 70 and grinding wheel 72 attached, will pivot on shaft 66 against the tension of spring 67 until areuate shape face or shoe 86 engages the templet 8 or the companion ice skate (not shown) which normally would be secured in right hand jaw or templet holding vice 21. Thumb piece 91 is rotated, whereby grinding wheel 72 is positioned toward or away from edge 101. The rotation of adjusting screw causes thread 93 to enter or back away from threaded core 88 thereby sliding body member 85 through track 87 along depending male guide member 84. In this manner right side 57, plate 55, motor 70 and grinding wheel 72, attached to upper frame 40B, pivot on shaft 66.

Iandle 56 is manually operated to cause grinding wheel 72 to move across the full length of edge 101 in a path of movement determined by the templet 8 or companion ice skate. Grinding wheel 72 will take a cut determined by the adjustment of adjusting screw 90. Thus the manual operation of handle 56 is in effect guided as to depth of cut and path of cutting or grinding movement. Ice skate blade is thereby sharpened without removing more of the blade material than is absolutely necessary and without fear that the grinding wheel will remove the temper from the ice skate blade. The alignment of the grinding wheel 72 and arcuate shaped surface or shoe 86 with the left hand jaw or skate holding vice 20 and right hand jaw or templet holding vice 21, respectively, is due to the construction of the scissor bracket 40.

Stop 54 and stop member 63 are provided as gauge members so that the pivotal movement of upper frame 40b toward lower frame 40A will be limited. This limitation aids in vertically positioning grinding wheel 72 over skate holding vice 20.

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate a modified form of construction of counterweight spring 67. Instead of spring 67 being located upon shaft 66; in the modified form a hook eye is secured to bottom side 44. A leg 111 is secured to plate 55 by means of screws 112, 113. A hook eye 114 is secured to leg 111. A coil spring 67A is secured on opposite ends to hook eyes 110 and 114 respectively. In this manner a spring with great tension may be provided.

Having shown and described preferred embodiments of the present invention, by way of example, it should be realized that structural changes could be made and other examples given without departing from either the spirit or scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a stand having a right side and a left side, a right side hub located in said right side, a left side hub located in said left side, a right side horizontal block located in said right side, a left side horizontal block located in said left side, a right side vice consisting of a front jaw and a rear jaw, said rear jaw secured to said right side horizontal block, a dowel pin fixed in said rear jaw, means to slidingly move said front jaw toward and away from said rear jaw, a left side vice consisting of a front jaw and a rear jaw, said last mentioned rear jaw secured to said left side horizontal block, a dowel pin fixed in said rear jaw in horizontal and vertical alignment with said first mentioned dowel pin, means to slidingly move said last mentioned front jaw toward and away from said last mentioned rear jaw, a scissor bracket consisting of a lower frame pivotally connected to an upper frame, a stub shaft pivotally connecting said lower frame to said left side hub and said right side hub, a motor provided with a grinding wheel secured to said upper frame, an adjustable follower shoe mounted to said upper frame, a handle secured to said upper frame, resilient means interposed between said upper frame and said lower frame to yieldingly hold said upper frame in a horizontal position in relation to said lower frame, whereby manual operation of said handle causes said upper frame to pivot in relation to said lower frame to place said grinding wheel in vertical alignment with said left side vice and said adjustable follower shoe in vertical alignment with said right side vice.

2. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a stand having a right side and a left side, a right side vice secured to said right side, a left side vice secured to said left side, a scissor bracket consisting of a lower frame and an upper frame, means to pivotally connect said lower frame to said stand, a shaft pivotally connecting said lower frame to said upper frame, a motor provided with a grinding wheel secured to said upper frame, an adjustable follower shoe secured to said upper frame, resilient means interposed between said upper frame and said lower frame whereby said upper frame yieldingly tends to pivot into a horizontal position in relation to said lower frame, whereby the manual pivoting of the upper frame around said shaft horizontally and vertically aligns said grinding wheel with said left side vice and horizontally and vertically aligns said adjustable follower shoe with said right side vice, said resilient means yieldingly urging said grinding wheel away from said left side vice and said adjustable follower shoe away from said right side vice.

3. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a supporting stand, a skate holding vice at one side of said stand and a templet holding vice at the other side of said stand, a scissor bracket having a lower frame and an upper frame, means for pivoting the lower frame to said stand and other means upon which the upper frame is pivoted to the lower frame, resilient means biasing said upper frame away from said vices, a grinding wheel and motor fixed to said upper frame and so positioned that the grinding wheel aligns with a skate held in the skate holding vice, and a follower shoe adjustably fixed to the upper frame and aligned to bear against a templet in said templet holding vice.

4. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a supporting stand, a skate holding vice at one side of said stand, a templet holding vice at the other side of said stand, a scissor bracket having a lower frame and an upper frame, means for pivoting the lower frame to said stand, other means upon which the upper frame is pivoted to the lower frame, resilient means biasing said upper frame away from said skate holding and templet holding vices, a grinding wheel and motor fixed to said upper frame and so positioned that the grinding wheel aligns with a skate held in the skate holding vice, and a follower shoe consisting of a pad having an axial core fixed to said upper frame, an enlarged area provided with a depending male guide member fixed to said pad, a follower comprising a body member having a shoe, a vertical track and a threaded core, an adjustable screw having a thumb piece secured to one end, rotatively mounted in said axial core with the end opposite the thumb piece rotatively mounted in said threaded core and said depending male guide member slidingly mounted in said vertical track, said shoe aligning with said templet holding vice and engaging a templet held in said vice to hold said grinding wheel a predetermined distance above said skate holding vice.

5. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a supporting stand, a skate holding vice at one side of said stand, a templet holding vice at the other side of said stand in horizontal and vertical alignment with said skate holding vice, a'first dowel and a second dowel secured in said skate holding vice in spaced vertical and horizontal alignment, a third dowel and a fourth dowel in spaced vertical and horizontal alignment, said first and third dowel positioned in vertical and horizontal alignment to provide a set of reference points between said skate holding vice and said templet holding vice, a scissor bracket having a lower frame and an upper frame, means pivoting the lower frame to said stand, a second means pivoting the lower frame to the upper frame, resilient means biasing said upper frame from said skate holding and templet holding vices, a grinding wheel and a motor fixed to said upper frame and so positioned that the grinding wheel aligns with an ice skate aligned on said first and second dowels and held in the skate holding vice, and an adjustable follower shoe fixed to said upper frame and aligned to bear against a templet held in said templet holding vice and aligned on said third and fourth dowels.

6. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a supporting stand, an ice skate holding vice fixed to one side of said stand, a templet holding vice fixed to the opposite side of said stand in parallel relation with said ice skate holding vice, a first guide means provided in said ice skate holding vice to locate an ice skate in pro-selected position in said ice skate holding vice, a second guide means provided in said templet holding vice to align a templet in pre-selected position with reference to said first guide means, a scissor bracket having a lower frame and an upper frame, means pivoting the lower frame to said stand, another means pivoting the lower frame to the upper frame, resilient means biasing said upper frame from said skate holding and templet holding Vices, a grinding wheel and a motor fixed to said upper frame and so positioned that the grinding wheel aligns with said first guide means, and an adjustable follower shoe fixed to said upper frame and aligned with said second guide means to bear against a 'ternplet held in said templet holding Vice.

7. An ice skate grinding machine comprising a stand, an ice skate holding vice fixed to one side of said stand, a templet holding vice fixed to another side of said stand, a first guide means provided in said ice skate holding vice, a second guide means provided in said templet holding vice in pro-selected relation to said first guide means, a scissor bracket consisting of a lower frame and an upper frame, means pivoting said lower frame to said stand, another means pivoting said lower frame to said upper frame, resilient means biasing said upper frame fromsaid skate holding and templet holding vices, a motor provided with a grinding wheel, fixed to said upper frame with the grinding wheel aligned with said first guide means, and means secured to said upper frame in alignment with said second guide means to limit movement of said grinding wheel toward said first guide means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 765,268 Bishop July 19, 1904 1,487,142 Boker Mar. 18, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,951 Great Britain May 10, 1949 

